friends

I have been so grateful for the past couple of days.

You never really notice how much you are lucky to blessed with until you just sit back and notice what is all around you.
So many things have happened to me - sure, it may not have been the best year ever, but I'm so grateful for the outcome of it all.

No one is ever a bad person, some people have different ideas or intentions than others, and it's all just a matter of whether someone can vibe with you, whether they can open their minds and just see beyond the looking glass.

I know I'm not perfect, and I'm so grateful I have people in my life that see through my flaws.
Throughout the craziness of this year, I just close my eyes right now and smile: life is so beautiful.

I have launched so many projects, ran so many events, but above all in importance to me; I've been able to carry out good ideas that are worth being shown, advertised and noticed.

I think some professional highlights of this year would be The Relay For Life event: We raised over $10,000 for Cancer Research, and it was my first ever event outside of High School where I helped organize the music and performances.

I had my ad published through WB Engineering in Design Book magazine and that was pretty awesome as well.

Through the director of Public Relations, I ended up meeting the owner of Sweat Records and at the time, the President of Cane Records, who has ultimately ended up being such a gracious student mentor for me with music and promotional music events.

It was through her that I helped launch a CD Release Party with all the art on display and I felt so starstruck - it was featured in New Times Magazine. It was amazing.

And then there was thew hook-up to The Recording Academy and Grammy.
After being an active volunteer for just three activities they offered me a position as a full paid member for free to be the official Student Representative for MIU. :)

On top of all this, I may have experienced some ups and downs - some heartbreak, and some loss.

I know my Uncle Randy is in a better place - he was such an eccentric comical person - and without him here there is no comic relief among the anglo-side of my family.

But all in all, everything happens for a reason and I know that one day I will be joining him when the time is meant to be.

I've had such a great privilege to work with people this year!
From fellow creatives, to close friends - to even corporate types - and experience is an experience and it is so great.

I've drained out the negativity and am flowing with positivity.

2010 will be my year to shine.

The Best Albums of 2009: Part 1.

[Dec. 24th, 2009|04:16 am]

[	Tags	\|	lady gaga, mgmt, music, the ting tings, third eye blind	]
[	mood	\|	calm	]
[	music	\|	"Monster" by Lady Gaga	]

Life has been busy. School ended last week, and I got straight A's and B's. Which is good, but my personal life can be put to a halt at the moment because I really want to blog about music.

Despite what many people say, I feel like 2009 really was the year for music. The alternative pop scene is changing - and we've witnessed the re-birth of indie and 80's culture kind of coming back with what's been put out this year.

Not to mention the styles and artists that have followed, so here we go, on my count - and my iTunes playlists, here are the top artists and albums of 2009 in no particular order - these star albums will be recognized in 2 different posts, so here we go:

1. LADY GAGA
The Fame/ The Fame Monster

Her name says it all. A student from NYU, the music from this artist has really grabbed and has gotten a hold of many audiences. Think about it - all audiences appeal to this girl. With collaborations done with various artists - like pop vocalist Colby O'Donis (which launched his career with Just Dance) to even rising hip-hop R&B sensation Flo Rida in Starstruck to even working with Beyonce and colabbing with her in her music video and double tracking for her own Fame Monster album, Lady Gaga has made a quite an impact and doesn't look like she will be burning out any time soon.

The thing with Lady Gaga is that she brings in crowds from thirteen to forty-five year-olds and gets them as excited as footage would show in the 80's with Michael Jackson or Madonna - it's intriguing.

She honestly is becoming the new pop icon for a generation to come - which is really a breath of fresh air considering the assumptions that in this time and year, generational icons seize to exist anymore.

Whether you love her or say you hate her, but secretly listen to her music and watch her MTV Video Music Award performances in shock and awe, we can all agree that her two albums; one about how anyone can 'feel famous', to the second immediate release in a more personal, catastrophic "this is what happens when the glitter turns to dust" feel and sound - we can all agree that Lady Gaga rightfully deserves a place in this list of best albums.

2. PHOENIX
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Their song lyrics have been ridiculously quoted all over the internet in Facebook statuses, tweet updates and subject titles to blog entries. Quite simply, Phoenix's latest album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, recently publicized in 2009, has been the anthem to exploring life, representing innovation - and showing off something new, bold and exciting.

To describe songs like Lizstomania and 1901 at its best would be the sigh of a sarcastic smile. It's laid back, mellow, happy but at the same time full of zest and the tendencies of someone grounded, keeping you in check.

Thank you, Phoenix, for being the salt of the earth that continues to linger on our tongues (not to mention commercials and advertisements.)

3. THE TING TINGS
We Started Nothing

Katie White and Jules De Martino, together known as The Ting Tings managed to make their debut in the mainstream indie pop scene with their energetic "screw this romance i'm laughing it off" vibe with their music.

The beginning of their album started off with Shut Up And Let Me Go -introduced in a scene of one of the very last episodes of The L Word, this was what got the attention of listeners who immediately turned into fans as the base was spread.

One of the chart toppers, however ultimately was That's Not My Name - a song that goes well with being annoyed and barely being able to keep it together - because apparently, we all can relate to that.

"Everything considered they forget my name" - and that is when we would all officially lose it, wouldn't you say?

4. MGMT

Taking a kid's life molding into an imaginative indie teen unraveling in all of its honesty and life is the essence of MGMT. With creative tunes and lyrics that intertwine to represent memories to be made and be reminiscent of, this two-man band comes together as a definite favorite in my collection of the best overall albums of 2009.

Their songs Time to Pretend, Kids, Weekend Wards and Electric Feel all give the feeling of the common basics all humans face as their reach their stages of growing up - wanting to get fucked up, make an adventure out of a life's journey - reflect on past experience and the people that make you who you are - and then describe a life of eating shit, dealing with issues and even getting an electric feel between a beautiful girl.

MGMT brings it all creatively to the table.

5. THIRD EYE BLIND
Ursa Major

Although Third Eye Bind came back as a trio rather than the original four man band, their new release Ursa Major sold pretty fast in stores. Their latest comeback album in 8 years, Ursa Major included classic 'feel good' Third Eye Blind with a couple serious undertones and of course, a M.I.A. drug reference - still, it's a Miami creditation, so we can't take it to harsh.

With their instant "put up the volume" tunes like "Can You Take Me" and "Summertown", 3eb continues to be car-jamming music. In addition to this, I really feel like they decided to take their music in a new direction: with their deeper, softer and contemplative tones to a couple of their other tracks, I found myself wanting to drive my car at night - for any reason - just so I can hear the environment of a night drive match with tracks like Bonfire or Why Can't You Be

Their best song in my opinion, was their "hit single" of a song they originally used for promotional purposes: "Don't Believe A Word." It proves that after all these years, after all this time, you're opinions really haven't changed - and Third Eye Blind is right there to let you know you're not alone.

Pause.
I'm off to sleep, but keep yourself ready for tomorrow - my 5 more will be revealed!

Manage Me, I'm a Mess.

[Dec. 19th, 2009|09:45 pm]

[	mood	\|	contemplative	]
[	music	\|	"Weightless" by All Time Low	]

You know how crazy conservative groups think that there are programs to eliminate sexually-adulterated thoughts from a marriage or to eliminate homosexual thoughts so that their reasoning of having a better life are actual possibilities?

Well, I think that's a load of crap, arrogance and hatrid - but I do wish I could do something similar...not with sexuality or nonsense like that, but with people.

Do you ever wish that you could just erase the existence of certain people out of your mind?

It bothers me and makes me really sad because it sucks to know that you think about people in a sense where you know for a detailed fact that they could care less about you completely.

I really do, I wish there was a pill that made it so that I could block out past memories of people I no longer want to associate myself from - And I can only imagine the financial possibilities this would hold in store for anyone that would sell this.

"Get your memory erasing pill! For only a certain amount of money you can wipe out that past memory, that bad thought, or that sham of a marriage! GET YOURS NOW!"

But unfortunately, life has no erase button.
You meet beautiful people, you're welcomed and get a sense of their life and how their hearts beat...and if there is more in store, that's great - if not, than you scrape to find that rock you were once standing on - and if it crumbles, you're off to find a new foundation.

I'm ready for this Holiday break, time for some appearance changes and wishes to be checked off.

:)

post 144

[Dec. 18th, 2009|08:26 pm]

chemicalover__x

Going to Virgina!!!!!!!!! sweet

2 comments|post comment

Will You Meet Me Halfway

[Dec. 18th, 2009|12:53 pm]

[	mood	\|	grateful	]
[	music	\|	"Meet Me Halfway" by Black Eyed Peas	]

This week has been very hectic because of finals. This quarter I decided to take 5 four-hour long classes because I felt pressured that if I didn't, I would lose my scholarship.

A car breakdown, a couple missed classes (that didn't affect my grade btw) and a conversation with the advertising chair later, I am never doing that again, haha. I'll be taking four classes from here on out because I am ahead of every other student in the program right now.

Along with 200 question exams, there has been campaign presentations after the other. I got into it because each project was different and interesting and I was really grateful to be working with good partners this time around - but the workload itself was too much.

Now that I have had my 24 hours of sleep back, lmao, I'm going to take a shower, hit the gym, head to The Recording Academy to drop off some Grammy paperwork and then head to work at The Advertising Federation of Miami.

So many upcoming projects I can wait! Ah!

Lately I've been receiving many pleasant surprises my way, they've really been bringing me back.

Wednesday as I was on my way to Staples and Kinko's between classes for a last minute project portfolio material-run, I picked up a call to an unidentified number and it was Adam. He called me to let me know that he was playing another Native Tongues show, which made me really happy and surprised because I didn't even know Native Tongues Shows were still going on - I guess it just goes to show what happens when you walk out of one limelight and into another one - anywho, after several minutes of laughing and reminiscing he handed the phone over to someone else.

After asking who this person was, he excitingly told me it was Mr. Boldon.
One of my favorite teachers and mentors at Miami Sunset. I was flabbergasted.

After talking to both of them, my day went from stressful nonsense to being very eccentric and happy.
- and after I hung up, I cried like a pansey lol.

I miss them.

I've been trying to work on a project where Advertising students visit different schools and advertise about the Arts programs at MIU - that way aside from the Navy and Airforce, students can see other alternative options to what they can do after they graduate high school. They shouldn't have to go out and look for it all the time - at their age, programs really should be letting them know about what they offer.

I told him I would make it an LJ entry, so here it is, haha.

Off to dance to The Black Eyed Peas, motherfuckers!

Please meet me halfway.